Sidious: A Star Wars Story
by CogitoErgo
Summary: On the Mid-Rim paradise of Naboo, darkness rises. Sheev Palpatine was born to a wealthy family of aristocrats, but has still always longed for control. Sith Lord Darth Plagueis offered him just that, and now, after years of training under Plagueis, Palpatine is ready for the final test to become a true Sith. Now is the time Palpatine earns his light-saber. Canon Origin! Young!Palp
1. Chapter 1: Lord of the Sith

**A/N:** I don't own Star Wars, the characters Palpatine and Darth Sidious, or the idea of an origin story. Disney and Lucasarts gets the former two. I've no idea who has the last one.

The Ancient Jedi had a saying:

 _Life, death, and control._

 _There is power in all_

 _But through Control, there is acceptance of the others._

The Ancient Sith had a much similar saying, except for the last line:

 _But through Control, there is power over the others._

The scholars in the Jedi Archives debated about this adage to no end. Some say the second was a bastardization of the first, used only to promote the selfish and power-hungry goals of the first Darth's. Some theorize it was originally spoken in a long-lost tongue, and it was a simple mistranslation that initiated the aeon's long conflict between the Light and Dark. Some still preferred to ignore the issue, saying none of it mattered now that the Darkness was defeated for good.

But there, meditating in the tallest temple of ashen Malachor, Palpatine knew the truth.

Yes, after six days of hunger, six days of thirst, six days of breathing the cinders left behind by Jedi "Crusades", he knew.

He heard the screams of the Ancient Sith, slaughtered by the "Righteous" Jedi, and knew that there was no Dark and Light. The visions he saw, flashing by his closed eyes like hyperspace, reminded him that all was subjective.

He exhaled and, for the first time in days, opened his eyes to see the darkness of Malachor. From the balcony he saw for miles in every direction. There were pyramids with tips glowing red, smaller than the monument he sat on but eclipsing any Jedi Temple save the one on Coruscant. All else was ruin, with bodies of the Ancient Sith burnt to ash and left standing in their resting places.

As he once more inhaled this ash, feeling the suffering of a thousand Sith coursing through him, Palpatine knew that there was only strength. The Jedi demonized the Sith, saying they were slaves to their passion and desire. They were hypocrites, slaves to their own doctrine and to the Republic. They covered up their own agenda with words of pursuing the greater good and protecting the peace, but Palpatine saw through their lies. There was no good and evil, only power. There was no peace, only order.

"The Force shall free me," he said into the air.

No sooner had Palpatine said it then he felt the presence behind him.

He jumped to avoid the lightsaber's strike, flipping behind his attacker as his own sabers _snap-hissed_ in a glow of green and blue.

The attacker expected this and swung above in a wide arc. Palpatine swatted the blow aside, violently thrusting his second saber through the opening it created. The attacker swatted the blow away like Palpatine had done, and the frenzy began. Strike, block, slash, parry, strike, slash, clash. The two were locked in a dance, reading each other's movements with the Force with neither gaining the upper hand. Palpatine had learnt well. He never let up, unleashing a constant barrage of strikes against his opponent. He stopped only to block and parry, following that up with a newfound furry. He grinned. He knew he could win. His attacker slashed downward, and Palpatine caught the blade in a cross. His senses let him know that this was his chance, and he swiped his opponent's lightsaber away while slashing upwards towards the torso.

But his senses halted his movements at the last moment. His eyes widening, he quickly reached out his hand and blocked an incoming stream of lightning. He manifested his own lightning, creating a vergence where the abilities clashed. He began to sweat, and felt his arms numb. He looked into the eyes of his opponent and saw them grin in the glow. Palpatine grimaced and focused all his hatred into that moment, using all his willpower to stay connected with the Force. He was rewarded. The vergence began to creep towards the attacker and was certainly going to overpower him. Palpatine cackled, focusing on all that he had learned. However, he failed to see the glow in his peripherals and was left helpless as the attacker caught the lightning in his blade. It reflected back at Palpatine, along with all the anger he had put into it.

Palpatine was launched from the balcony into the room, the air driven from his lungs as he struggled to get up and continue the fight. He reached for his sabers, but they weren't there. When he looked up, his opponent had the red saber at his throat. The two stared into each other's eyes. Palpatine said nothing.

The attacker retracted the saber.

"Always be aware of your surroundings," Plagueis said, "Your adversaries' aim is to kill you, and he will not consider what is 'fair'. He won't execute the same tactic for you to predict."

Palpatine clipped his sabers to his belt and kneeled at the Muun's feet, his cloak billowing behind him, "Yes, my Master,"

"You're ambitious like a true Sith, but don't let that tenacity overpower your senses. Your goal is to destroy your opponent, but that end means nothing if you sacrifice your ability to achieve it."

"Yes, my Master," Palpatine kept his head bowed, resisting the urge to meet Plagueis' critical gaze. He knew this, but he knew he had improved as well.

"Rise, my apprentice," the Muun commanded.

Palpatine stood, meeting his Master's gaze.

"You have done well, apprentice. Tell me, what do we believe?"

Palpatine grinned, "That power is the only constant in the galaxy."

"And what do you gain through power?"

"Victory."

"Over what?"  
"Over our inhibitions, over our limitations, over the things and people that oppress us."

"And how do we gain this power?"

He grinned, "Through control. Control over all we have, and over the living Force."

"Very good, apprentice. Your meditation has served you well."

As Palpatine attempted to read his Master's face, the Muun turned away and walked outwards toward the balcony.

"But tell me, what is the Dark Side?"

The answer was on Palpatine's lips immediately, "A lie,"  
"No!"

Palpatine's eye's widened, but he held his ground as Plagueis let a shock fly from his hands, "You still don't understand!"  
The young man took a few seconds to respond.

"But, Master." Palpatine said, "Isn't that why you brought me here? To show me the lies of the Jedi?"

Plagueis growled, "It seems you know our basic principles, but you don't truly grasp what they mean. The Jedi are fools, but they know the Force just as we do."

The Muun faced Palpatine, lifting his hand to create a roll of sparks, "The force is alive, my apprentice. It is not merely a tool. It is a consciousness with a will and the ability to act on that will. It may sound like weak Jedi philosophy, but to ignore that truth would be foolish. The control we seek, that is what separates us from _them_. The Jedi believe only in control of the self, and blindly follow the force as slaves to its will."

"But we don't."

"Exactly! We know the Force's true power, and how we can use it to achieve our goals! We are not slaves to its will, we seek to blaze our own path! A path towards control over all aspects of life, death, and the Force that connects it all!"

Palpatine shivered at the prospect of such raw power. The promise of infinite abilities, the abilities to solve infinite problems. One day it would be his, if he only followed his Master's instructions.

The Muun walked further outwards onto the balcony, looking up and letting out an exhausted sigh, "You still don't understand what it means," Plagueis mourned, "but you will."

Palpatine felt the pull too late, and watched as his lightsabers flew into his Master's hands. Before Palpatine could object, Plagueis threw the objects over the side of the balcony, lifting them into the air.

"Master!"

There was a blinding flash, and Palpatine had to brace himself to keep from falling.

When his eyes readjusted to the darkness, there were four pieces of sparking metal thrown at his feet.

Palpatine clenched his fists and snarled, years of training lying in smoke. Year of training had led up to _this_.

He felt the air around is fists start to move. He looked up at his Master, only to find him standing directly in front of him. With a sharp breath, Palpatine released his fists.

"Why, Master? Am I no longer worthy?"

The young man couldn't hide his shock when the Muun started laughing,

"The opposite. You are ready to take the next step."

This confused Palpatine even more, "Then…why?"  
"Exactly. You know what you want. But you need to figure out why. That is the next step of your training, my apprentice. You must give yourself fully to the Dark Side, with no misconceptions about why it is the only righteous path to take."

Palpatine flinched when Plagueis ignited his lightsaber. He stared as the red glow reflected in the Muun's eyes.

"Do you know why a Sith's lightsaber is red?"  
"No, my Master,"

"Of course you don't, I never told you." Plagueis reached out his thin-fingered hand, pulling at the broken pieces on the floor. A sparking piece of crystal flew into the space between the two, "It's because of this, the kyber. This crystal has a strong, nigh symbiotic connection to the Force. Like the Force, it is alive, and since it lives, it can feel pain."

Plagueis clenched his fist. The crystal began to shake erratically, surrounding itself with a field of electricity. Palpatine resisted the urge to cover his ears at the screech and was saved when Plagueis reopened his hand.

"Since it lives, it can also make connections. The crystals choose the Jedi, and the Jedi rely on the will of the Force to guide them towards a crystal that serves them well. But we know better than to trust the Force that willed so many Sith slaughtered. So, we make the crystal feel our pain, we make it know the struggles we have gone through, and we make it bleed as we have bled. Out of this crucible, a beautiful, strong crimson, and a blade that will never betray us. It is a blade completely under our control."

Palpatine watched as Plagueis threw the crystal over the side of the balcony.

"Those toys I gave at the start of your training were spares, acquired from Jedi who got too close to the truth. They served you for combat training, but they were never yours."

Palpatine stood up straight, finally understanding, "So how do I acquire my own?"

"To fully commit yourself to the Dark Side, you must prove you understand our principals. You must know that the Dark Side is the only morally righteous path, and you must know what you will do with the power it will grant you. You must find a Jedi, kill them, take their lightsaber, and bend its kyber to your will. Only then will you be worthy of the title of Sith."

Palpatine brought his shoulders back in pride. He was right. All the years of training had led up to this. He moved back to the balcony, looking out onto the ruins. Reaching his hand back, he flung the rest of the broken pieces off the edge, watching them clatter to the ground below, "I will not fail, Master."

"See to it you don't," Plagueis replied, "and don't return to me until you've a loyal blade."

The Muun walked deep into the room, disappearing in the darkness.

Palpatine gazed into the cavern, being sure to not look down at the Jedi weapons. To be a true Sith. To have complete control over his destiny. To have untold power and strength. The thought was almost enough to make him salivate.

But where to begin? Where to find a Jedi?

He would have to lure them in, make the situation appear ordinary. He couldn't reveal who he and Plagueis truly were. But how?

To figure that out, he needed his connections. It was time to go home.

Turning his back on the ruins of Malachor, he couldn't help but recall the similar ruins his father once showed him. The ruins in the less traveled areas of Naboo.

 **A/N:** Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed and let me know how you felt!

A quick note about the context of the story. This is an attempt to create a backstory for Darth Sidious in the new "Disney" Canon given what we know about his motivations through the movies, comics, books, and other Disney EU material. This only relates to plot beats, though (i.e. what Palpatine end goals in canon vs. in Legends), so that doesn't mean that "Non-canon" races, tech, locations, and characters can't or won't show up.

May the Force be with you.


	2. Chapter 2: The Family Palpatine

The Mid-Rim was occupied before the Republic settled it, a fact that Coruscant wanted to forget. In the eyes of Core-Worlders, it was important to keep the peace and deal with the situation the Republic was in, rather than look to the past and deal with its problems. It was better to focus on important trade deals than to face the consequences of wars long past. It was more important to deal with pirate raids in the current Mid-Rim, rather than the officially sanctioned ones in times of expansion. It was better to think of modern injustices towards Wookiees, Gran, Falleen, and the like, rather than address the actions that paved to those injustices.

In the deadlocked system, it was often better to focus on the positive actions by the Republic, rather than their negative inaction. The same was true on Naboo. The human Naboo could trace their lineage through the centuries back to before the end of the republic's ancient expansion. With a great war having just ended, and the Crusaders emerging victorious, it seemed that no conflict would arise for a long time. Decimated, the Core needed new worlds to hold people while the old ones rebuilt.

Naboo was one of those worlds discovered in the wake of this new expansion, and with its lush grasslands and idyllic waterfalls became the favored shelter of elite Core-Worlders avoiding the destruction the Sith had left behind. The more the Core was rebuilt, the more Core-Worlders were able to visit the mythical "Mid-Rim Oasis", and the world's empty landscapes were quickly covered with vast palaces and cities. Eventually the planet was home to so many Senators and former Royals that the Republic had to recognize its status as an independent world, and it promptly inaugurated its first Queen. It was also then that the name "Naboo" ceased being a nickname given by worshipers of _Nabu_ and became the planet's official designation, much to the chagrin of the native Gungan population.

The Gungans and humans had rough dealings ever since the first Core elites settled on Otoha, as the natives called it. The warring tribes of natives had always disturbed the settlers, with their odd speech patterns and primitive weaponry, but the humans were content to sit and watch as the natives destroyed each other and drove their species into the deep and dangerous seas. There were always some rumors of skirmishes between the natives and the forces of the rich Core-Worlders, but there was never any definitive sign of conflict between the two.

Many thought it odd, however, that the head of House Palpatine was spending an unusual amount of time out in Gungan territory running drills with his men. The natives didn't tend to discriminate when it came to their tribal wars, so the nobles were more than a little worried that the old Palpatine would get himself and his men hurt. Or worse, cause an incident.

But the elder always came back, and one day arrived with great news! He had worked out a deal with the natives. They gave the humans hundreds of kilometers of new land, in exchange for neutrality in all further Gungan tribal conflict. There were some questions about why, but the old man only made vague comments about the Native's generosity. Besides this, he claimed a particularly large piece of that new land for House Palpatine. It was fair, without him there wouldn't have been this terrific deal in the first place, but it was strange how secluded it was from the rest of the territory. It was next to a large lake, at terminus that marked the beginning of the vast jungle the Gungans deemed a holy place, which confused the human Naboo even more. But the result of such talk was always someone pointing out the elder's eccentricity, and that it was best not to question worry about the matter. But it was that land the elder built the ancestral home of House Palpatine, and it was on that land where all subsequent Palpatines were bred.

Sheev Palpatine had been told this anecdote many times since he was born, and each time his father tacked on the same moral. The House was a vital part of the goings-on on Naboo, and everyone, including Sheev, had a part to play in ensuring those goings-on went well.

"This family is the gate that protects Naboo from chaos." Cosinga would tell his son, "Me, your mother, your brothers, and you. We are the gate keepers."

Young Sheev could only nod and agree enthusiastically. He was young, and only knew that he lived in a mansion of nearly infinite play spaces. He simply enjoyed the miraculous stories his mother told him of aliens, adventure, and past Palapatine heroes, while his loving father would toss annoyed glances at the child as he played with his food.

"Sheev, quit making a mess and eat." Cosinga said, slamming his fist on the table, "You're the eldest! Set an example for your brothers! Be someone worthy of respect!"

The seven-years-old Sheev smiled and stuck the nerf-steak he'd been stabbing into his mouth. He loved it when his father played with him like this.

"Yes, faffer!" he said, his mouth full.

Cosinga glared at him, and Sheev quickly swallowed and looked at his plate.

"If you can't act like a Palpatine, how can you expect to lead them one day?"  
"I can't, no one would follow me," Sheev gave the practiced response.

There was silence at the table, with Sheev's mother and brothers continuing to pick at their plates while this conversation took place.

Cosinga continued to look at Sheev with a serious expression. This had often occurred, with the young one never learning his lesson and remaining a distractible child. Sheev never like this part, where his father would grunt, continue eating, and not talk to the young Sheev for the remainder of the day. When he heared his father sigh and saw him look down, Sheev figured the cycle would continue. But to his surprise, Cosinga spoke.

"After dinner, go put on your hunting gear," he said, "I've something to show you."

Sheev nodded vigorously and did as his father had ordered. The two met at the cavernous gate leading out of the mansion. Cosinga took in Sheev's apparel, "You've never worn it, have you?"

"Only when I play on the roof," Cosinga grunted, "I'll see to it you wear it more often, and for better reason."

He signaled a servant to bring him a hover pod, and the two climbed aboard.

Cosinga accelerated the pod out of the gate, and Sheev couldn't hide his surprise as they turned towards the forest.

"Father," he said, squinting upwards, "where are we going?"  
The elder Palpatine continued staring forward as he answered, "You'll see."  
As the pod drew nearer to the forest, the sky was darkened by the canopy. Sheev covered his nose as the smell reached him, but Cosinga grabbed his hand.  
"You'll adjust, hopefully. Otherwise you won't handle it when you face worse than a simple smell."  
Sheev reluctantly obeyed and listened to the sound of the creatures passing underneath.

As the minutes dragged on, the clear view of trees and small open area was gradually shrouded in mist. The stench never got better, but Sheev could no longer distinguish it from any other smell. The various grunts, growls, and trumpets of the forest creatures faded behind the pod, and all that could be heard was the ambience of the engines and the rushing of the wind.

In a few more minutes, the mist became too thick to see through, and Cosinga was relying on the sensors and pure luck to guide him away for hazards. Sheev bundled up, attempting to hide from a cold presence he had just felt.

Eventually Cosinga stopped the pod and set it down atop an unusually tall rock formation. He looked at Sheev, "Get out."

The seven-year-old looked up at his father, confused.

"Did you hear me? I said get out," Cosinga repeated.

Sheev opened his mouth in shock, "But-"

"Go!"

Sheev shuffled away from his father, jumping out of the pod after grasping for the exit.

Cosinga pointed, "Start in that direction, I'll catch up with you."

"What if there's a monster?" Sheev said, shivering in the cold.

"Nothing's lived here for many generations. You'll survive for a few minutes."

Before the boy could say anything else, Cosinga had started the pod and lifted into the air.

Sheev stared in the direction Cosinga pointed and trudged his way across the rock.

It wasn't five steps until he came to a ledge. He could barely make out the ground but could tell he could still jump down. His legs ached after he made the jump however and looked back to see how high he had jumped from. He scrambled back as he was met with a large stone face. It was carved into the rock, and its amphibian visage glared down on Sheev, judging him.

Sheev got up as quickly as his pain allowed and continued to trudge in the assigned direction. He quickly learned the ghoulish stone was not alone, and its brothers seemed to emerge from the fog at increasingly regular intervals. Each looked more decrepit than the last. Moss hung on them in patches, and new moss grew atop layers of dying brown growth underneath. None were in one piece. The faces were missing eyes, mouths, ears, and whole halves of their visages. Sheev couldn't go a single step without either getting caught in mud or tripping over a long-forgotten piece of a once sacred idol.

He sucked in air, but it felt like lead in his lungs. All the ambience grew louder and louder, and Sheev covered his hears with dirty hands. Why couldn't it just stop? The noises, the fog, the dirt, the air? Why could it just go away?

He quickened his pace, and before he knew it he was running. His feet knocked against the sacred rocks regularly, and the mud stuck to him as if wanting him to stop. But he kept running no matter how hard he stumbled. If he got to where Cosinga wanted, maybe this could end. He wouldn't have to inhale the putrid air anymore. He wouldn't have to look at those dead faces? Why couldn't it just end?!

His foot caught on a lump, and Sheev went face first into the mud. He looked back, expecting to see a root, or at least another statue piece. But the extrusion looked more… organic. He sharply inhaled, the air weighing even more than before. He had to get out of here and find father.

But something stopped him from turning away from the object. It was as if it were… calling to him.

Shivering, he slowly crawled up to the thing that tripped him. He reached out his hand and turned it over. The face of a long dead Gungan looked back in accusation.

Sheev's eyes widened in horror. The ambience was pulsing on his eardrums, it was never this loud before. Even when Sheev covered his ears, pressing against them with all his might, the pulsing was still there. Why was he here? Why couldn't it shut up?!

Sheev squeezed his eyes shut and screamed in frustration.

The pulses suddenly stopped. When he panted, the air felt lighter. When he opened his eyes, the fog had lifted. It hung in the air far away, and he saw it far above him when he looked up. But the miasma never entered that bubble, and in that bubble Sheev saw the whole picture.

He was standing in a city, but not any like what he'd seen before. There were large domes of glass and metal, most of them shattered and bent beyond repair. The statues surrounding the domes, depicting Gungans of various shape and size, were in a similar state of repair. The trees surrounding the area were nothing but black stumps of charcoal.

The body he tripped over wasn't the only one. Dozens of corpses were strewn across the scene. Most were lying in the mud like the first. Some were hanging off of statues in loosely tied nooses. Others were leaned against ruined buildings, either falling there naturally or pinned there what looked like a lance. One thing was the same for them all. Each one was phenomenally preserved.

Sheev, still panting, continued to walk the way Cosinga pointed. He didn't want to look down. He wanted to step on the carrion even less, so every few steps he came face to face with the accusing face of the dead natives.

With each corpse he stepped over, the shallower his breath. With each face, the more his step faltered.

Eventually, his feet refused to move. The boy fell to his knees, surrounded by death.

All he heard was his irregular exhales. His body was numb, all he could feel was his heartbeat.

Why was he here? What happened? Where was father?

As if in answer, he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"It was called Otoh Sancture,"

Cosinga was looking forward, eyes focused on nothing.

Sheev looked up, "Why?"  
Cosinga sighed, "You need to know what you must be willing to do. You must be willing to give anything… or take anything for the good of your family."

"So this… this was… our fault?"  
"No. The natives were expanding, and they wouldn't stop here. Soon, our people would have had nowhere to go."

The hand came off Sheev's shoulder, "Our ancestors saw this, and did what was necessary for the good of Naboo. It wasn't pleasant, but the natives had it coming."

"Did… did you ever have to...?"

"To what, Sheev? Say it."

"To… kill anyone? For the family?"

"No. But if it helped the family survive, I will. If it helps Naboo, I will. You will too, eventually."

Sheev took in a sharp breath and looked up at his father. His eyes were pleading him.

"But… why?"

"I won't be here forever. You will lead House Palpatine one day."

Sheev let his vision unfocus, but he still took in the desolation around him, "But this… this is wrong! It's evil!"

Sheev looked in horror as his father belted out a hearty laugh, "Evil? In this galaxy, there is no good and evil. There is only the hunters and the hunted. There is only who has power and influence. Our job is to make sure that, when the lines are drawn, Naboo and House Palpatine are on the winning side. That means we must think past ourselves!"

Cosinga started walking away, "The individual is worthless. If you can't give your all for your family, then you're not worthy of being remembered."

"But… why did you have to show me this?"

"The air, the ground, and the noises are all a result of what happened here. I'm sure those magicians on Coruscant have some word for the effect, but we call it the Shroud. If you can handle it, you can handle worse., and we will come out here every day until you can. To hunt."

Sheev shuffled back in horror, "No! I won't!"

Cosinga glared back at him, "You have no choice."

Sheev snarled, "No! I won't come back here!"

His father stopped, "Then I'll leave you here, and you can walk back to the villa," he pointed, "It's a few weeks in that direction, not accounting for the fog, muck, and carnivores in your way."

The boy's response froze in his throat, and he stared at the ground. His feet gradually stepped towards his father, until he was following the old man at a steady pace. The two made their way to the hover pod, and from there made the hours long journey back to the Palpatine Villa. No words were said on the ride back.

When the gate opened, Sheev's mother was waiting for them. She hugged the young boy the second he got out of the pod. He didn't hug her back.

"Where'd you two go?" she asked.

Sheev looked at his father, and put on a fake smile, "Just a little trip into the forest."

"Yes," Cosinga said, "was just showing the boy the good hunting grounds."

"Sounds like fun!" the mother said, "But really, Cosinga, you think he's ready to learn to hunt."

Cosinga chuckled, "Well," he stared at Sheev, "he has to learn eventually."

 **A/N: Thanks for reading! Hope you're enjoying! Right now, the backstory is an entire chapter, but that won't be the case for every piece of backstory. I'm no James Luceno, but the goal is to back story for the most important aspects of Palpatine's character (i.e. his ideology and motives). As such, not every chapter will be completely action packed (even when little Sheev isn't seven years old). I think it's most effective this way but leave a review if you disagree.**

 **Leave a review for other reasons too. Feedback is feedback, whether positive or negative.**

 **May the force be with you.**


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